View Full Version : Windows explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the
Hi,
I think I remember reading in this forum in the past that someone else had this problem but I can't seem to find it with a search here and my situation is probably different anyway so her is my problem.
While in folders I keep getting an error box that says what is in the title of my thread. It says sorry for the inconvenience (title box wasn't long enough). The choices are Debug, Send error report, or Don't send. I hit Don't send because the other two don't seem to do anything. After hitting don't send the screen blips and the folders disappear but everything else I'm working on is ok. I then enter the folders again for a few minutes or so and then I get the box again, sometimes it not even 2 mins, it's immediately. Really is a pain in the you know what.
I have an HP a1330n running XP Media Center Edition with Service Pack 3
This happens with all folders on your computer?Is this related to Spybot,or just a general error you get when going into folders?
You could try going to Start,then Run.
Type or copy and paste in sfc /scannow(make sure there is a space between the sfc and the /scannow.
It would be a good idea to have your Windows installation CD or DVD handy in case you are prompted for it,also.
Please let me know how it goes. :)
Thank you for responding.
It doesn't seem to happen with all the folders just some of them. It is not necessarily a Spybot problem but I can't swear that I'm not infected. I regularly run Spybot and have McAfee as AV protection. Hopefully, that answers your questions. Anymore just let me know.
Now, I tried the scannow and after it did its' checking on files returned a box saying that the files that are required to run Windows properly must be copied to the DLL cache and to insert my Windows XP Professional Service Pack 3 CD.
The problems is I don't have SP3 on CD. I'm sure that was a download patch. I don't even have Windows on CD. It came preloaded on the HP machine. I do have the recovery disks I made when I first set it up on 4/7/06. I tried running it without the disks but it won't run, it wants a CD.
Yes,I almost posted back last night,because I remembered having somewhat similar problems when I ran sfc /scannow on my XP computer,but then I figured I'd wait and see if maybe you weren't prompted for the disc. :)
Could you follow this to find the error in Event Viewer and copy it here?
www.winxptutor.com/eventlog.htm
Ok, I did that and have the event properties box. The directions say there should be a copy button but there is not and it won't copy and paste.
There are a lot of errors but the ones of the last several days all seem to be the same. The faulting module is avcdx.ax.
Any thoughts on how I can get the thing to you other than typing it all out - please don't ask me to do that, lol.
Also, if you get a chance I put a new request in about Spybot deleting my temp files.
Thanks a lot for your help with these issues.
Yes,start typing! muha:
Just kidding. :D:
Please bear with me,I'm rusty when it comes to Windows XP. :)
It won't let you rightclick and Copy,but if you highlight the info with your mouse,then press ctrl + C,it should copy the info you've highlighted,and let you paste it here.
When you're looking through event viewer,anything that starts out with this is probably what we're looking for:
Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2800.1106, faulting module
It let me highlight going backwards and then ctl C. The following is the error code for the last several days. Multiple instances but all the same.
Faulting application explorer.exe, version 6.0.2900.5512, faulting module avcdx.ax, version 0.0.0.4, fault address 0x00005259.
Okay,thank you. :)
Does this look familiar to you?
http://systemexplorer.net/file-database/file/avcdx-ax
From this company:
http://corecodec.com/
http://corecodec.com/products/coreavc
No, it doesn't. I did a search for avcdx.ax yesterday and it didn't turn up anything. Now I'm searching for corecodec. I don't expect it to find anything if it didn't find the file.
Could you go to Start,then Run,copy and paste in %WINDIR%\system32,and look to see if avcdx.ax is in there for me,in addition to your search? :)
I don't see it. I manually looked in there and in the subfolders and then scanned just system 32 also. I don't understand why it shows up in the event viewer but not in a scan. Do you?
A scan with Spybot?Probably because avcdx.ax isn't necessarily a bad thing. :)
And if it doesn't show on a search,it might not be present.
It's probably not hidden,but to be sure,could you follow this to temporarily show hidden files and folders?
http://www.bleepingcomputer.com/tutorials/how-to-see-hidden-files-in-windows/#winxp
Then could you look for avcdx.ax again?Thanks. :)
I'm sorry - not a scan, a search. I'll show the hidden files and then run a search and let you know the results. I still don't understand why it shows up in the Event Viewer as a problem (red X) but doesn't show up in a search.
After un-hiding system files and folders it is showing 2 instances. The first is in the System 32 folder in Windows on my C drive. The second is in the same place on my second hard drive (D). It's there because I copied a bunch of folders and files to my D rive when my original C drive was going bad. I put a copy on D just to have it just in case.
They are not the same size though. The old one (from the D drive) is 121KB and the one on the C drive is 22.5KB. I don't know if that means anything or not.
Sorry,I don't mean to drag this out,but I also don't want to unregister or remove something you may need later on,broken as it may be. :)
When you are in folders and get the Windows explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close error,would you happen to be working with video files or anything?
Could you rightclick the avcdx.ax file,select properties and tell me what is listed beside Open With:?
General Version Summary (Tabs)
AVCDX.ax
Type of File: AX File
Opens with: Unknown Application
Location: C:\WINDOWS\system32
Size: 121 KB
Size on Disk: 124 KB
Created: Saturday, April 21, 2012
Modified: Friday, January 13, 2006
Accessed: Today, January 4, 2013
Advanced
These are the general properties. And yes, I think I might be in folders with videos when this happens. Of course, while I'm playing with it right now it's not acting up so I'm not positive. What I mean is I know I'm definitely in folder with videos when it happens but I'm not sure if it's exclusively so.
This is the file from the C: drive. The file from the D: is the same (including size now) with the exception of the date created which is 7/14/2011. One other thing for you to know is that these are only showing up when I uncheck "hide system files". All the other suggestions in the list to show files I already had the way they asked for it to be so the file only showed up when we opened the system files.
Don't worry about taking time to fix this - it's just a nuisance (the problem I mean) not a critical thing. I'd much rather we get it right and I appreciate the help. You must be in Europe or Asia (or a night owl) since you seen to respond when I'm asleep and vice versa.
I'm of the night owl variety. :)
The avcdx.ax file on your C:\ drive should be the 0.0.0.4 version.
If you rightclick the avcdx.ax on your D:\ drive and select properties,does it show you the version info for the file anywhere in there on Windows XP?
They are both version 0.0.0.4.
Do legitimate programs put files into the hidden system files?
Okay,good. :)
Yes,sometimes legitimate programs put files into the hidden system files.
Could you please check the avcdx.ax on your C:\ drive at VirusTotal?
https://www.virustotal.com/
Click Choose File,then go to C:\WINDOWS\system32\AVCDX.ax,and once it's uploaded,click Scan it.
And,when it's done the analysis,could you copy the link showing in your address bar and post it here?
I've found online where avcdx.ax has sometimes caused some weird behaviour for a few people,but this is just to doublecheck.If stuff is found,I'll refer you to the malware removal forum.
If not,I'll just continue here. :)
When I got to it, it said it had already been analyzed previously. Did I want to look at that one or re-analyze it. So, I had it re-analyze it. Here is the link:
https://www.virustotal.com/file/5dcc6c3146e436dc8cf8347ca132ac941850fe5fa496934a887094649ea990ab/analysis/1357438254/
Yes,re-analyzing was best to do.
Detection ratio: 0 / 45
Looks good. :)
I found how to get the Installed Software list in the new Spybot,but I don't think the saved .xml file will work real well here.That's just messy. :D:
Can you go to Start,click Control Panel,and then double-click Add or Remove Programs?
Is CoreAVC DirectShow Video Decoder,CoreAVC Video Decoder or CoreAVC High Definition H.264 Video Decoder Professional listed in there?Or anything that looks like it might be related?
I see absolutely nothing close to CoreAVC in there.
Okay.AVCDX.ax still might be needed,if it was included with another program,or perhaps CoreAVC doesn't show in add/remove programs.It's hard to tell,since AVCDX.ax opens with an Unknown Application.
But,since AVCDX.ax is causing problems,it might be worth disabling it.If you have any problems afterwards,we should be able to re-enable it,plus you do have a backup of the file on your D:\ drive. :)
So,we could unregister it.
If you'd like to try that,go to Start,then Run.
Put this beside Open:
regsvr32 -u "C:\WINDOWS\system32\AVCDX.ax"
Then click OK.
Let me know if it tells you if it was successful.
Then,go to C:\WINDOWS\system32,find AVCDX.ax and rename it to AVCDX.ax.old.Cut and paste it to somewhere where you can find it again,in case it's needed later.
If you do that,please let me know if the error goes away.
Also,if you view any videos,let me know if it still runs smoothly,or if it looks choppy,etc.
Instead of doing all that could I just cut and paste it to a thumb drive and see if I still get the error message and also see if videos would play without any problems? If that doesn't accomplish the same thing let me know and I'll do what you suggest.
Yes,you can try that,if you wish.But,in my opinion,unregistering the file would be better. :)
Well Ollie, I think you've got it!!! I did what you suggested about 3 hours ago and have been playing with it and so far so good. I renamed the file and moved it over to a thumb drive. So this leads to a few questions:
1. How long should I give it before we declare victory?
2. Should I save the file and if so for how long?
3. Again, before declaring victory what else should I be looking for that might
"screw up" by removing this file? Like some other program not functioning
correctly.
4. Is there anything else you should warn me to be on the lookout for over the
few days or weeks?
5. If down the road I find a problem that I think might be related to removing
this file and I have done away with the renamed file do you think the other
file on my D: drive could be substituted for it?
6. If I should have a problem and need to get back to you and/or this thread
how long do you save this dialogue?
1.After 3 hours,if you haven't seen the error,you're probably good,if you have been into folders,etc.
2.Yes,please save the file.Keep it for a while yet,just in case.A week or so,at least.
3.Here's a description at wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CoreAVC
4.Nope,just the initial 'Windows Has Encountered A Problem and Needs To Close' error message.
5.Yes,I do think the file on your D:\ drive could be substituted for it,if need be.
6.This will remain open indefinitely,and you can come back to it at any time. :)
Zenobia, I want to thank you for your patience and your help with my problem. You were fantastic to work with and I really appreciate it very much.
THANK YOU